Wessex Local Eye Health Network is carrying out an eye health needs assessment for Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight. The aim is to describe what eye health services are currently provided across the region, and to assess how well they meet the local needs. Services will include those provided by hospitals, optometrists, GP’s, local authorities, school nurses and charities.

The Network are particularly interested in the experiences of local patients and users of eye health services. Which work well? Do any need improvement? Do pathways work smoothly, or are there gaps?

Would you or someone you know be willing to tell your story?

Their hope is that by illustrating the real-world implications of the services, they can influence commissioners, local authorities and practitioners to make recommended changes recommended or to take the time to examine the issue themselves.

To take part contact Rory at: rory.nicholson@nhs.net or 0113 8253276 by the end of November 2017.

NHS England has published two policies that outline how it will work with its PPV partners. The new Patient and Public Voice Partners Policy sets out the ways in which NHS England works with PPV Partners, including different types of roles and support available. The updated expenses policy: ‘Working with our PPV Partners – reimbursing expenses and paying involvement payments’ aims to ensure that PPV Partners are not out of pocket when they get involved in NHS England’s work. It provides details on reimbursing PPV partner expenses and when involvement payments apply. If you are a PPV Partner you may like to read the policies to understand the different types of PPV Partner roles offered by NHS England and the support you should expect. Both policies can be found in the resources section of the Involvement Hub.

Would you be interested in helping NHS England develop some courses for Patient and Public volunteers

If so please read on……NHS England are working with two companies called WSA and Just Ideas to develop three e-learning courses which are aimed at supporting Patient and Public Voice (PPV) partners who volunteer with them and NHS England staff.

The three courses are:

1. Using social media to engage effectively with patients and the public2. Developing excellent relationships with Patient and Public Voice volunteers (title tbc)3. High impact communication skills for meetings (online and virtual)

They think it is really important that people are able to contribute to the design and content of the courses. This will help to ensure that as they are developed, they have the input of those likely to be using them in future, and to check they are interesting, useful and using appropriate language.

NHS E would be really grateful if you could spare an hour of your time to do this by joining a ‘webinar’ (a group phone conversation where you are also looking at a presentation on a computer screen and discussing it).

They are offering two webinars, and you are welcome to join either one – the times are:

Monday 7th August 9.45 - 11 am

Wednesday 9th August 1.45 - 3 pm

The details of how to join will be sent out to anyone interested, nearer the time. But rest assured it’s easy to participate as long as you have a phone and computer with internet access - you don’t have to have any experience of doing one before, we’ll talk you through it and it is really quite fun!

If you are interested, please email Sam, project support officer: samantha@just-ideas.co.uk, she will acknowledge your email and near the date she will send you the details of how to join the webinar. If you have any queries before registering, you can call Charlotte (who will be facilitating the webinar discussions) on 07748 378913. If there is no reply please leave a message and she’ll call back. No-one will be turned away, there is room for all!

If you are interested in being involved but can’t make the webinar dates, don’t worry – there are other ways of contributing either by e mail or by being part of a pilot of the course at a later stage. If you are interested contact Angela Medd, Project Manager, NHS England, 07876 851750 angela.medd@nhs.net and she can offer you some options about how to do this.

NHS E will (with your permission of course) acknowledge your help with a Thankyou in the information about the courses.

NHS Clinical Commissioners (NHSCC) and NHS England have developed a proposal to improve patient care by no longer routinely prescribing 18 medicines which are either:• Clinically ineffective; unsafe; or not cost effective; or

• Where the NHS can offer a clinically-proven alternative for patients.

In partnership NHS England and NHSCC brought together an expert clinical working group earlier this year to review the evidence, and they have developed recommendations for a public consultation.

The objective is to produce commissioning guidance to support clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in their decision-making, to address unwarranted variation, and to provide clear national advice to make local prescribing practices more effective. Any savings from implementing the proposals will be reinvested in improving patient care.The consultation is open from 21 July to 21 October 2017.

https://www.engage.england.nhs.uk/consultation/items-routinely-prescribed/NHS England and NHSCC are also seeking people’s views on whether a wider list of 3,200 products that are available over-the-counter, without prescription, may be considered appropriate for future restriction. At this stage, we are seeking views generally on this area, for further work and consideration by the clinical working group.

NHS England has today published its Annual Report and Accounts for 2016/17, detailing the work of the organisation over the last year and outlining some of the most significant achievements and challenges.

How they have involved patients is set out on page 248.

CQC are undertaking a second consultation on the proposed changes they are planning to the way they regulate health and adult social care services closes 8 August 2017. Please read and respond to the consultation to share your views.CQC must reflect the changing health and social care system to ensure they stay relevant as a regulator, and they are working to be more aligned in our approach to different types of care being provided, including new and complex providers.They are seeking views on proposals to:

regulate primary medical services and adult social care services

improve the structure of registration, and clarify our definition of registered providers

monitor, inspect and rate new models of care and large or complex providers

use our unique knowledge to encourage improvements in the quality of care in local areas

carry out our role in relation to the fit and proper persons requirement.

NHS England has launched a 12-week consultation, which closes on 30 September 2017, on specialised gender identity services for adults (17 and above). NHS England wants to hear people’s views on two proposed service specifications: one for how Gender Identity Clinics will deliver specialised outpatient services; and another for how surgical units will deliver surgical interventions. The proposed service specifications have been developed through engagement with the trans community and clinical experts. James Palmer, Medical Director for Specialised Services at NHS England, has recently taken over as Senior Responsible Officer for this work and has written a blog on the consultation. The proposed service specifications, consultation guide can be viewed here.

Click NHS England’s Public Health Oversight Group is looking for two Patient and Public Voice members. The group oversees the commissioning of the national screening, immunisation and child health information services; this includes cancer screening and childhood vaccinations. Applicants will need to have a genuine commitment to developing excellent health services along with lived experience and understanding of national screening and/or immunisation programmes. Further details about the role can be found on the NHS England website. The closing date for applications is midnight on 14 August 2017. To request an application pack please email abenaa.yeboah@nhs.net or fatema.limbada@nhs.nethere to edit.

Help Healthwatch Hampshire shape future servicesHealthwatch Hampshire wants to hear from members of the community who want to to help to be part of shaping and improving local health and social care services across the county. Healthwatch Hampshire are holding a champions day, which will include discussing Healthwatch’s projects for the year ahead, gathering ideas and discussing how people can use their skills and knowledge. This is a great opportunity for local people to get directly involved in our work.

If you want to support your local community to improve health and social care services, and you’re interested in developing new skills and building on existing experience and knowledge, Healthwatch Hampshire would love to hear from you.

NHS England has published a film which has been co-produced with people with a learning disability. Getting Involved at NHS England clearly explains NHS England’s leadership role in health services. It also encourages patients and the public to get involved in the work of NHS England. The film was produced in response to members of NHS England’s Learning Disability and Autism Forum, who felt NHS England’s role could be explained more simply.

Don't forget to get in touch with Wessex Voices if you would like to get involved in their work across Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton. Just email Sue.Newell@helpandcare.org.uk

Four new patient and public participation frameworks have now been published on the NHS England website. They have been developed together with commissioning teams and partners, including patients and the public, and build on the existing NHS England patient and public participation policy and statement of arrangements. They provide practical guidance on the best ways to involve patients and the public in different services and include good practice examples and links to resources for commissioners to use. Links to all of the new frameworks can be found below: